Inflatable floating device

ABSTRACT

An inflatable floating device includes an inflatable body and a steering device. The inflatable body includes front and rear ends, top and bottom sides, and a through hole extending through the top and bottom sides. The steering device is mounted on the inflatable body, and includes a rotary shaft extending through the through hole, a steering handle connected to a top end of the rotary shaft, and a rudder plate connected to a bottom end of the rotary shaft.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/937,414, filed by the applicant on Sep. 10, 2004, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a floating device, more particularly to an inflatable floating device.

2. Description of the Related Art

Many water sports involve devices that are driven by a motor to be propelled on the water surface. If the motor malfunctions or is removed from the device, the user has to use his or her hands and feet, or an oar, to advance the device on the water surface, which may be laborious. In the case where the device is an inflatable apparatus, there is no provision of an auxiliary part that may be connected directly to a body of the device so as to enable advancement of the device and the dispensing with any direct or indirect use of the motor. Moreover, the conventional inflatable floating device is not provided with a counterweight and a rudder portion such that it cannot float stably on the water surface and its advancing direction cannot be controlled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide an inflatable floating device which includes a steering device to facilitate changing the direction of the inflatable floating device during advancement in water.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an inflatable floating device that can control and stabilize an advancing direction.

According to this invention, an inflatable floating device comprises an inflatable body and a steering device. The inflatable body includes front and rear ends, top and bottom sides, and a through hole extending through the top and bottom sides. The steering device is mounted on the inflatable body, and includes a rotary shaft extending through the through hole, a steering handle connected to a top end of the rotary shaft and disposed outwardly of the top side, and a rudder plate connected to a bottom end of the rotary shaft and disposed outwardly of the bottom side.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of an inflatable floating device according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment in an assembled state;

FIG. 3 is a partly sectional front view of the preferred embodiment, illustrating a rudder plate in a first configuration;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but illustrating the rudder plate in a second configuration;

FIG. 5 is a schematic bottom view of the preferred embodiment taken along line V-V of FIG. 3, illustrating radial projections of a rotary shaft abutting against one end of arcuate members of a bearing tube;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, but illustrating the radial projections abutting against another end of the arcuate members;

FIG. 7 is a partly sectional view of the preferred embodiment taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a schematic side view of the preferred embodiment, illustrating how a tail wing pivots downwardly when a front end of an inflatable body is pressed downwardly;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, but with the tail wing being moved upwardly when the front end of the inflatable body is pulled upwardly; and

FIG. 10 is a schematic top view of the preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the preferred embodiment of an inflatable floating device according to the present invention is shown to include an inflatable body 100, and a steering device 4.

In this embodiment, the inflatable body 100 resembles a dolphin, and includes front and rear ends, top and bottom sides, and a through hole 111 extending through the top and bottom sides. The bottom side of the inflatable body 100 is convexed downwardly between the front and rear ends, and the width of the inflatable body 100 is reduced toward the front end from a portion of the inflatable body 100 between the front and rear ends so as to facilitate downward movement of the front end of the inflatable body 100 into water.

The inflatable body 100 includes first, second and third inflatable portions 2, 3, 1. The first and second inflatable portions 2, 3 are connected respectively to two opposite sides of the third inflatable portion 1, and look like the fins of the dolphin. The first, second and third inflatable portions 2, 3, 1 have respective first, second and third air chambers 24, 34, 14, respective first, second and third top walls 21, 31, 11, and respective first, second and third bottom walls 22, 32, 12. The through hole 111 is formed in the third inflatable portion 1. Since each of the first, second and third bottom walls 22, 32, 12 extends upwardly and curvedly from a respective middle portion thereof, indentations 20, 30 (see FIGS. 3, 4 and 7) are defined between the third bottom wall 12 and the first bottom wall 22 and between the third bottom wall 12 and the second bottom wall 32. The indentations 20, 30 extend substantially in a front-to-rear direction.

The inflatable body 100 further includes a first retaining unit 13, a second retaining unit 14, a connecting member 15, and a tail wing 16.

The first retaining unit 13 is provided on the third bottom wall 12 proximate to a front end thereof, and includes two spaced-apart first lug portions 131, each of which is heat-sealed to the third bottom wall 12, and has a first positioning hole 132.

The second retaining unit 14 is provided on the third bottom wall 12 proximate to a rear end thereof, and includes two spaced-apart second lug portions 141, each of which is heat-sealed to the third bottom wall 12, and has a second positioning hole 142.

The connecting member 15 is connected pivotally to the second retaining unit 14, is substantially U-shaped, and has spaced-apart upper and lower arms 151, 152, and a pivot plate 154 extending between and bridging the upper and lower arms 151, 152. The upper and lower arms 151, 152 respectively have upper and lower rear edges 1511, 1521. The pivot plate 154 is formed with a pivot hole 1541. The upper arm 151 is provided with a lug member 1512 which is connected pivotally to the second lug portions 141 by passing a pivot pin 153 through a through hole in the lug member 1512 and the second positioning holes 142 in the second lug portions 141.

The tail wing 16 has a bifurcated front pivot portion 167 that defines an elongated groove 160 to engage the pivot plate 157. A pivot shaft 164 passes through pivot holes in the front pivot portion 167 and the pivot hole 1541 in the pivot plate 154 so as to connect pivotally the tail wing 16 to the connecting member 15. When the tail wing 16 is connected in this manner, the front pivot portion 167 is swingable upwardly and downwardly between the upper and lower arms 151, 152, and is able to contact the upper and lower rear edges 1511, 1521 which limit movement of the front pivot portion 167.

The tail wing 16 further has upper and lower framing parts 161, 162 connected to the front pivot portion 167, and a flexible thin section 163 clamped between the upper and lower framing parts 161, 162. In this embodiment, the upper and lower framing parts 161, 162 are made of plastic steel by injection molding to ensure a high degree of mechanical strength for the tail wing 16, while the thin section 163 is made of rubber so as to reduce an overall weight of the tail wing 16. The thin section 163 is cut so as to conform to the shape of a dolphin's tail.

The steering device 4, in this embodiment, is mounted on the third inflatable portion 1, and includes a bearing tube 41, a rotary shaft 42, a steering handle 43, and a rudder plate 44.

The bearing tube 41 is inserted into the through hole 111, and has a bottom seat 411 proximate to the third bottom wall 12, an externally threaded section 413 proximate to the third top wall 11, and a limiting plate 45. The bottom seat 411 has two positioning pins 414 projecting outwardly in opposite radial directions and engaged respectively to the first positioning holes 132 so as to prevent the bearing tube 41 from rotating. The limiting plate 45 has an internally threaded hole 451 engaged to the externally threaded section 413. When the third inflatable portion 1 is inflated, the limiting plate 45 abuts tightly against the third top wall 11, thereby limiting movement of the bearing tube 41 relative to the third inflatable portion 1.

A restricting member 415 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) is provided on the bearing tube 41, and includes two diametrically opposed arcuate members 4151 formed on a bottom face of the bottom seat 411 around the rotary shaft 42.

The rotary shaft 42 is received rotatably within the bearing tube 41, and has two opposite radial projections 422, a first fixed portion 423 on the bottom end of the rotary shaft 42, and a first connecting portion 424 on the top end of the rotary shaft 42. The radial projections 422 project between the arcuate members 4151 to restrict rotation of the rotary shaft 42 within a limited angle. The first fixed portion 423 is substantially L-shaped, and is formed with three spaced-apart second positioning holes 426, 427, 428. The first connecting portion 424 protrudes out of the externally threaded section 413 of the bearing tube 41, and is formed with a third positioning hole 425.

The steering handle 43 is connected to a top end of the rotary shaft 42, is disposed outwardly of the third top wall 11, and includes a second connecting portion 431 for connection with the first connecting portion 424, a hand grip portion 432 disposed on top of the second connecting portion 431, and a first fixing bolt 433. The second connecting portion 431 is formed with a fourth radial positioning hole 434. The first fixing bolt 433 passes through the fourth positioning hole 434 and the third positioning hole 425 so as to fix the steering handle 43 to the rotary shaft 42.

The rudder plate 44 is connected detachably to a bottom end of the rotary shaft 42, is disposed outwardly of the third bottom wall 12, and has a second fixed portion 442, and two second fixing bolts 443, 444. The second fixed portion 442 includes two parallel clamp plates that project upwardly from a top end of the rudder plate 44 and that define therebetween a groove 445 to receive the first fixed portion 423. Each clamp plate is formed with two aligned fifth positioning holes 446, 447.

When the second fixing bolts 443, 444 are fitted in the fifth positioning holes 446, 447 in the respective clamp plates and the corresponding second positioning holes 426, 427 in the rotary shaft 42, the rudder plate 44 is placed in a first configuration, as best shown in FIG. 3, in which the rudder plate 44 lies in a plane substantially aligned with an axis of the rotary shaft 42. When the inflatable body 100 is placed on the water, the rudder plate 44 can be rotated about a vertical axis by the steering handle 43 to control an advancing direction of the inflatable body 100.

When the second fixing bolts 443, 444 are fitted in the fifth positioning holes 446, 447 in the respective clamp plates and the corresponding second positioning holes 428, 427, the rudder plate 44 is placed in a second configuration, as best shown in FIG. 4, in which the plane of the rudder plate 44 is angled relative to the rotary shaft 42. When the inflatable body 100 is moved out of water, the rudder plate 44 is placed in the second configuration so that the rudder plate 44 is not easily damaged when, for example, the inflatable body 100 is dragged on the ground.

When the steering handle 43 is rotated, the rudder plate 44 is turned so that the advancing direction of the inflatable body 100 is changed as described above. At this time, the radial projections 422 are moved clockwise or counterclockwise. As shown in FIG. 5, when the radial projections 422 are moved counterclockwise, the radial projections 422 abut against one end of the arcuate members 4151. When the radial projections 422 are moved clockwise, as shown in FIG. 6, the radial projections 422 abut against another end of the arcuate members 4151. Due to the radial projections 422 and the arcuate members 4151, the angle of rotation of the steering handle 43 is restricted within a limited range.

Referring to FIG. 7, to enhance the stability of the inflatable floating device of the present invention on the water, a counterweight 23, 33 is disposed in each of the first and second inflatable portions 2, 3 adjacent to the first or second bottom wall 22, 32 so as to prevent the inflatable body 100 from flipping over. The counterweight 23, 33 in each of the first and second inflatable portions 2, 3 may be realized by filling with water a sealed space in the inflatable body 100 prior to inflation of air into the first, second and third inflatable portions 2, 3, 1. However, other counterweight elements, such as sand, lead pieces, etc., may be used in place of water.

Referring to FIG. 8, when the front end of the inflatable body 100 is pressed downwardly, the rear end of the inflatable body 100 moves upwardly. At this time, the tail wing 16 pivots downwardly, and abuts against the lower rear edge 1521. As the inflatable body 100 is pressed downwardly, the front ends of the first, second and third inflatable portions 2, 3, 1 propel water rearwardly, thereby forwardly advancing the inflatable body 100. Due to the presence of the indentations 20 and 30, water can be efficiently collected and propelled rearwardly, thus increasing the speed of advancement.

In contrast, referring to FIG. 9, when the front end of the inflatable body 100 is pulled upwardly, the rear end of the inflatable body 100 moves downwardly, and the tail wing 16 pivots upwardly and abuts against the upper rear edge 1511. The upward and downward movement of the tail wing 16 can assist in advancing the inflatable body 100.

Referring to FIG. 10, to facilitate operation of the inflatable body 100, the hands of the rider can grip the handgrip portion 432 of the steering handle 43. Further, the first and second top walls 21, 31 of the first and second inflatable portions 2, 3 are provided respectively with anti-slip members 211, 311 so that when the rider sits on the third inflatable portion 1 while kneeling or stepping respectively on the anti-slip members 211, 311, the rider can maintain his or her position without slipping off the inflatable body 100.

Through the aforementioned disclosure of the present invention, it is apparent that upward and downward alternate movement of the rider speeds up the forward advancing of the inflatable body 100. Furthermore, the rider can control freely the advancing direction of the inflatable body 100 through the steering device 4.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. 

1. An inflatable floating device comprising: an inflatable body including front and rear ends, top and bottom sides, and a through hole extending through said top and bottom sides; and a steering device mounted on said inflatable body, and including a rotary shaft extending through said through hole, a steering handle connected to a top end of said rotary shaft and disposed outwardly of said top side, and a rudder plate connected to a bottom end of said rotary shaft and disposed outwardly of said bottom side.
 2. The inflatable floating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said steering device further includes a bearing tube inserted into said through hole around said rotary shaft, said rotary shaft being received rotatably within said bearing tube.
 3. The inflatable floating device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said inflatable body further includes first, second and third inflatable portions, said steering device being mnounted on said third inflatable portion, said third inflatable portion being connected to and being disposed between said first and second inflatable portions.
 4. The inflatable floating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rudder plate is changeable between a first configuration, in which said rudder plate lies in a plane substantially aligned with an axis of said rotary shaft, and a second configuration, in which said plane of said rudder plate is angled relative to said rotary shaft.
 5. The inflatable floating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rudder plate is detachable from said rotary shaft to place said rudder plate between a first configuration, in which said rudder plate lies in a plane substantially aligned with an axis of said rotary shaft, and a second configuration, in which said plane of said rudder plate is angled relative to said rotary shaft.
 6. The inflatable floating device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said bearing tube has a bottom seat proximate to said bottom side of said inflatable body, said inflatable body further including a first retaining unit provided on said bottom side to engage said bottom seat so as to prevent said bearing tube from rotating.
 7. The inflatable floating device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said bearing tube further has an externally threaded section proximate to said top side of said inflatable body, and a limiting plate which has an internally threaded hole attached to said externally threaded section.
 8. The inflatable floating device as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a restricting member provided proximate to said bottom side of said inflatable body to restrict said rotary shaft to rotate within a limited angle.
 9. The inflatable floating device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said restricting member is provided on said bearing tube proximate to said bottom side.
 10. The inflatable floating device as claimed in claim 6, further comprising two diametrically opposed arcuate members formed on said bottom seat around said rotary shaft, said rotary shaft having a radial projection projecting between said arcuate members.
 11. The inflatable floating device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said rotary shaft further has a first fixed portion on said bottom end of said rotary shaft, said rudder plate having a second fixed portion connected to said first fixed portion.
 12. The inflatable floating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said inflatable body further includes a tail wing connected pivotally to said rear end. 